Pastor John, here's a good question that we get all of the time and it's worth addressing

frequently in this podcast.

It comes from a listener named Jacqueline who writes, hello Pastor John, I have a follow-up

question to episode number 897.

I appreciated your answer to the question, is love fake if it's motivated by a reward?

As a follow-up, I want to ask this, is love fake if it's only motivated by duty?

I'm thinking of relationships where the believer acts lovingly as in Philippians 2.4 and

1 Corinthians 13, but without the feeling of love often due to ongoing sin in the life

of the beloved.

Is it enough to love because I am supposed to if I know in my heart it is not tied to

the desire to know and glorify Christ as you mentioned as the motivation for reward-fueled

love in that episode?

Well, let me start with an illustration.

I read this years ago in Edward John Carnell's book, oh the name just a small line, Christian

commitment, that's the name of it.

He says, suppose a man asks, must I kiss my wife good night?

Carnell gives the answer, yes, but not that kind of must.

That's very profound.

It really affected my Christian edinism.

What did he mean?

What did he mean?

He meant that the man who asked this question misunderstands the nature of duty.

...